MCSA

[localzuk]

Right, my school is looking at paying for me to do the MCSA Win2k3 course. My question is, should I go for:

a) The actual training course (expensive, have to travel etc...)
b) E-learning course
c) Just get the books and teach myself (how I have done everything so far...)

Has anyone else done an MCSA or similar just from the books?

Cheers
Tony

[mattx]

I just would not do it !! Waste of time in my opinion.
So my answer would be C but don't bother taking the exams.

[StewartKnight]

If the school is prepared to pay, then I'd suggest A, because it's easier to sit in a class and have someone explain it, than snatch a few minutes reading a book here and there whilst trying to unjam printers.

[mattx]

because it's easier to sit in a class

And cram ?
Experience wins everytime over bits of paper.

[Face-Man]

Experience wins everytime over bits of paper.

not if that piece of paper has the queen's head on with the number 50 and is in a large pile....... just look at Chelsea..

But seriously I went on a course (A) it was expensive and a bit of travelling was involved but I learnt tonnes and that just helped understand the stuff I was doing and work more efficiently. Sure the experience I now have is far more valuable than the piece of paper but any school that is willing to invest in it staff and recognises the value of industry standard qualifications is to be congratulated.

[mattx]

Give me a good manual / book, CBT, and bits of test kit to play on and that will do me fine....

[localzuk]

Well, I will be getting a pay rise after I pass... And, no matter what people say, it does look good on a CV to some potential employers.

I think I'm going to go for the books and demand an afternoon per week for me to sit down and work on it.

[ind13]

have a look at the trainnig materials from trainsignal.
a bit more expensive than just books, its a set of video tutorials, you can get them on cd or an external harddrive.
if you get the full set, you get all the training materials for mcse,
its about $1000 and the exchange rate is fairly good at the min.

trainsignal

[GrumbleDook]

Work from the books before hand ... get some experience ... and then go on the course. That way you can ask about real-world implications at the same time.

Courses can also be very good for networking and making contacts ... very handy for when you suddenly think "FSCK! I was sure I remembered how to do X ... I know ... I will ring $delegate and see if he remembers!"

[localzuk]

Hmm... I wonder why 2 duplicates of this thread have appeared?? I only posted it once